FTP Browser readme ================== This file contains the following sections:  What is FTP Browser?  System requirements  Feature list  Features that may not be obvious  Solutions to common problems  Changes for this release  Legal disclaimer  Availability and support  Installation procedure  Changes in previous releases ===================================================================== What is FTP Browser? ===================================================================== FTP Browser is a powerful and intuitive FTP solution for OS/2 Warp that features drag and drop, server to server and directory tree transfers accross a variety of hosts. Please, feel free to use this shareware version of FTP Browser to evaluate its functionality as long as you agree to the legal disclaimer. Should you continue to use this product beyond the 30-day trial period, please select "Registration information" from the site manager's help menu. Registration for FTP Browser is only $29.00 in US funds. Thank you for your interest in FTP Browser. ===================================================================== System requirements ===================================================================== Your system must meet the following minimal requirements in order to install and use FTP Browser: OS/2 Warp version 3 or 4 Presentation Manager TCP/IP 2 Mb free disk space ===================================================================== Feature list ===================================================================== The following features will surely enhance your FTP experience:  FTP site manager that stores sites in folders  References to site objects on the desktop  Drag and drop enabled for transfers, queueing, site manipulation and more  Local file manager  Quick connect feature to test new sites  Ping feature to test site responsiveness before connecting  Unlimited number of simultaneous connections to the same site  Multiple and simultaneous transfers to the same site  Graphical file transfer display  Host redialing for busy sites  Seamless reconnects for lost connections  Automatically resume interrupted transfers  Resume partially transferred files to save bandwidth  Transfer queue for storing items to transfer  Recursive directory tree transfers and deletes  Server to server tree and file transfers  Tree synchronize feature for maintaining identical trees on local and remote systems  Recursive directory tree search feature for finding files  Archive content and text file viewer  Configurable file associations for viewing downloaded files  Classical and transparent proxy firewall support  Firewall support for travelling (laptop) users  Configurable directory lisiting cache  "Quick paths" allow access to frequently accessed directories  Parent directory button to quickly move up one directory  Communications log with save to file option  Hooks for command file execution after file transfers  Download information optionally written to file EAs  File list filter  Hover help for all toolbars  Warp 4's tabbed notebook style  Drag and drop color and font configurability ===================================================================== Features that may not be obvious ===================================================================== - To move a site to a new folder, drag and drop the site over the target folder. To copy a site hold down the control key while dropping the site over the target folder. - To create a reference to a site on the desktop, drag and drop the site in any desktop folder. Double clicking the new site reference object will open the FTP window for that site, bypassing the site manager. - To connect to a site double click the site name. To connect to every site within a folder, double click the folder name. - To be prompted for a site address or password, simply leave these fields empty in the properties notebook. - To start FTP Browser from another application and automatically connect to a FTP site refer to the "command line arguments" section of the FTP Browser manual. - To transfer files and directories, simply drag objects from or into the FTP window. - To view a file using the defined associations, double click the file name in the FTP window. If the file's extension matches that of a defined association it will be viewed using the defined external application. For example, double clicking on a ZIP file will display the contents of the archive. Any file for which there is no association is assumed to be a text file and will be displayed in the built-in text viewer window. Associations can be defined in the configure options notebook. - To resume an interrupted file transfer, simply start the transfer again and select append from the file transfer prompt. - To transfer files and directories from one site to another, simply drag objects from one FTP window to the other. - To recursively delete directories on a site, make your selection then select delete. - To synchronize directory trees between your system and a remote system, both the local and remote directory fields must changed to the directories that are to be synchronized. - To filter the file list add the filter string to the end of the remote directory. For example, the following remote directory would only list ZIP files: /os2/incoming/*.zip To remove the filter refresh the directory. - To change the font and color of a window, simply drag and drop them to the window. All changes will be saved. ===================================================================== Solutions to common problems ===================================================================== - if there is a problem getting a list of files from a Windows for Workgroups/95/NT FTP server, try changing the site type in the site's properties notebook to DOS. - if there is a problem connecting to sites on the internet through a firewall/proxy server, make sure that the "located behind firewall" check box is not checked. It should only be checked for sites within (local to) your LAN. - if a site does not allow fully qualified path names when changing or listing a directory, the file list will be empty even though there are files. If this is the case then disable "fully qualify directory changes and listings" on the preferences page of the site's properties notebook. - if you are having problems connecting through a firewall or connecting to a specific site, view the communications window and select save. Send this text file along with a description of the problem in an e-mail message to the address listed under support. - if FTP Browser is slow accessing data files or creating a lot of disk activity, try using the install program to clean your data files. Refer to the install help for more information. - if you would like to move FTP Browser to another location use the move function in the install program. Refer to the install help for more information. - when closing the FTP window, it is normal if it takes up to 5 seconds to shut down. ===================================================================== Changes for this release ===================================================================== Install program updates --------------------------- - added a clean button that will clean out FTP Browser's data files. This is recommended for users who have upgraded from a previous release. This feature removes all unused data and reorganizes the data files for efficiency when FTP Browser accesses them. - added a move button that will relocate an FTP Browser installation to another path. - fixed some minor bugs. - changed the FTP Browser logo (again). Site manager updates --------------------------- - added the ability to have one level of child folders. - added a quick connect feature to connect to sites not frequently visited. - to create a site entry in the site manager for a site that you have connected to using the quick connect, select "save site properties". You will be prompted for the name of the new site. - added a feature that writes the properties of all sites to a text file. - added an auxiliary connection setting to the site properties notebook. - added an auxiliary connection setting to the set default window. - added a setting to the site properties notebook that hides the local file list and directory. - added a setting to the site properties notebook that will enables the conversion of all uploaded file names to lowercase characters. - moved the enable active data connections setting to the site properties notebook so that it can be configured independently of each site. - added a setting to the options notebook that specifies whether the queue, log or quick path pages should be the first in the new FTP window notebook. - added a network thread priority setting to the options notebook so that very fast transfers will not dominate your CPU. This setting resides on the network page. - added a setting for enabling/disabling the system beep at the end of transfers. In addition there is now a field for specifying a sound file to play at the end of transfers. - users are now prompted before connecting to all sites in a folder in case it was not intended. - added the ability to drag and drop sites to the desktop to create site reference objects. - added a status area to the bottom of the site manager window, which displays the status of the site manager, the number of open FTP windows and the number of transfers running. - added spacers between unrelated toolbar buttons. - the delete key can now be used to delete folders and sites provided the respective container has the focus. You will be prompted to confirm to the deletion. - refreshed the menu layout and key accelerators. - fixed a bug in the context menu interface. - improved the layout of the data files holding many of FTP Browser's settings. FTP Browser should now operate more quickly when reading from these files, at the expense of resetting some options to their default values. - changed all threads to an idle priority. - reduced fragmentation when dynamically allocating memory. - updated help system. - changed the FTP Browser logo (again). FTP window updates ------------------ - enhanced the command line arguments for FTPBROWS.EXE. Refer to the new command line argument section of the help. - added context menus all over the place. - added a local file list which functions in the same way as the site list. It is drag and drop enabled and multi-threaded. - moved the previous dir and open folder toolbar buttons back beside the their respective dir entry fields. - added a notebook to the bottom of the window that conatins pages for the queue, log and quick path windows. - added to splitbars, one between the site and new local file listings, and one between the status area and the new notebook. - added a toolbar button that incremently adjusts the vertical splitbar betweem the site and local listings. - added a feature that prompts for a file name of a zero length file that will be created on the site. This is useful for sending messages as files to the site administrator. - added a feature that opens the properties notebook in the manager for the connected site. This saves the user from having to search for the site in the site manager, although the folder that contains the site must be open in the site manager. - the last sort performed on the site list and local list is now remembered the next time the FTP window is opened. If no sort is performed or default is selected from the sort menu, the default sort attribute is used. - added an auxiliary connection status area that displays information about transfers and deleted files only. - replaced the local directory field with a drop down list that contains all the local drives on the system. - added new "download as" and "upload as" features that prompt the user for the target file name of each file to be transferred. - added an "apply action to all existing files" setting to the transfer prompt that appears when transferring a file that already exists on the target system. - during queue transfers the user is now prompted when the file exists. - added a local file name prompt when the file name contains illegal characters. - added an option to the synchronize feature which allows files to be included if they are older than a specified date. - added a file search feature which will recursively search site directory trees for a file name. This file name can include a "*" as a wild card and the search can be limited to include only files that are newer than a specified date. - added a file rename feature. - added a site command feature which allows the user to manually send commands to the site. - added a connect/disconnect feature so that the FTP window can remain open while the connection is closed. - added the ability to save the queue to a file when closing the site and load the queue when opening the site. - the site list now contains a field that displays the site file permissions if available. - added the ability to save the all files to be transferred to a file list when the transfer fails and load this list into the queue when opening the site. - added the ability to start multiple, simultaneous transfers from one FTP window through auxiliary connections. - it is now possible to change directories, change the transfer mode, send site commands, rename files and create directories while any number of file transfers are in progress. - each auxiliary connection has its own transfer status window, text viewer, synchronize list and search facility. - auxiliary connections are also used to delete site files and perform server to server transfers. This means that it is now possible to perform multiple, server to server transfers simultaneously using the same FTP window. - it is now possible to close the FTP window without affecting any number of file transfers, site file deletes or server to server transfers. - when aborting transfers the auxiliary connection will quickly disconnect and then reconnect to fix many of the previous problems with many sites not properly reacting to an abort. - added a reconnect button to the transfer window, which will quickly disconnect, reconnect and then resume the transfer. This can be useful if you feel the site has forgotten about your transfer or your ISP has hung up on you. - enhanced command line argument support to accept a username, password, port#, account name and site type. - added a toolbar button that cycles through a splitbar position of 50%, 75% and 25%. - added spacers between unrelated toolbar buttons. - the delete key can now be used to delete site and local files, queue items, quick paths, synchronize list items and search items provided the respective container has the focus. - refreshed the menu layout, key accelerators and toolbar. - fixed a bug in the context menu interface. - fixed a bug in with the storing of quick paths that caused them to be truncated to a certain length. - fixed minor bugs in the synchronize feature. - changed all threads to an run at the priority set in the site manager's options notebook. - updated help system. - reduced fragmentation when dynamically allocating memory. - FTP Browser can now be purchased from The Scandinavian OS/2 Shareware Registration Services in Scandinavian currency at http://www.cybernet.dk/users/berggreen/os2/. See "registration information" in the help for more information. ===================================================================== Legal disclaimer ===================================================================== FTP Browser is provided "as-is" without any warranties (or conditions), expressed or implied with respect to the software, including the implied warranties (or conditions) of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk arising out of use or performance of the program remains with you. In no event, will Jason Rushton be liable for any lost profits, lost savings, incidental or indirect damages or other economic consequential damages, even if Jason Rushton has been advised of the possibility of such damages. In addition, Jason Rushton will not be liable for any damages claimed on you based on any third party claim. FTP Browser, Copyright (c) 1996 Jason Rushton ===================================================================== Availability and support ===================================================================== If you have questions, suggestions or bug reports, use any of the following contact methods. Registered users will receive first priority, although I will surely make an effort to respond to unregistered users as well. Internet mail rushton@netcom.ca Regular mail Jason Rushton 81 Calais Street Whitby, Ontario Canada, L1N 5M3 The latest version of FTP Browser will always be available for download from the following internet FTP archives, WWW pages and internet BBSs: ftp.cdrom.com /.4/os2/internet hobbes.nmsu.edu /os2/internet ftp.bmtmicro.com /bmtmicro http://www.bmtmicro.com/catalog/0internet.html ftp.leo.org /pub/comp/os/os2/tcpip/ftp os2.musthave.com /OS2 http://www.os2ss.com/internet/ftp/ bbs.os2bbs.com Area #35 ===================================================================== Installation ===================================================================== To install FTP Browser: 1. Unzip the compressed file into a temporary directory. 2. Make this directory the current directory. 3. Run INSTALL.EXE to install the application. ===================================================================== Changes in previous releases ===================================================================== v1.6 - added a menu item to the site manager window for creating a desktop icon that references a site. Click this icon to directly connect to the site. - added menu items to the site manager window for cascading, tiling or closing all open FTP windows. Cascade and tile use the size of the top-left-most window for determining the size of the others. - changing certain options and site properties are now reflected immediately if the there are open FTP windows. - updated all toolbar buttons with a consistant graphic scheme. - replaced some infrequently used toolbar buttons with more frequently used ones. - added a setting to the site properties notebook for turning off fully qualified directory names, because some sites do not like the LIST command fully qualified. NOTE: turning off fully qualified pathnames prevents recursive directory tree transfers etc. - added a setting in the site properties notebook for converting uploaded file names to FAT (8.3) format. - fixed the deletion of sites from the site manager window which was causing a memory leak. - fixed the site manager splitbar, so that the sizing pointer (left-right arrow) is displayed while moving the splitbar. - enhanced transfer status window updates, which are now performed in a seperate thread. It was found that updating the status from within the transfer thread degraded transfer performance by as much as 50% with extremely fast transfers (30kbs+). - added a list of files to transfer to the transfer status window. - added an elapsed transfer time field to the transfer status win. - multiple FTP windows are now cascaded instead of opening on top of each other. - changed the following FTP window dialogues to windows for improved functionality: Connect status, Transfer status, Transfer queue, Quick path Communications log, Synchronize - added help to many of the remaining (modal) dialogues. - added a select all function to the FTP window directory menu. - enhanced file transfer code which now allows a user selectable action when a file exist condition occurs during a recursive tree transfer. - enhanced the file transfer prompt with a manually rename file option and changed the old rename option button to "unique". - added column titles to the FTP window file list, transfer queue, and synchronize list. - enabled the remote directory field to accept filter strings. - synchronize feature now compares file names without case sensitivity and also compares file sizes in determining which files to synchronize. - fixed a bug during file transfers of > 40MB which caused the percent and progress indicators to reset to 0. - improved server to server transfer code, now more robust in dealing with transfer failures. - FTP window now displays on top after a successful connection. v1.55 - added a directory tree synchronize feature, which lists and recursively transfes missing files between your a system and a remote site - enhanced the informational messages displayed in the status area and the connect window - added a "how do I ..." section the help system - added a similar "Features that may not be obvious" section to this readme file. - added an switch that can toggle between active and passive data connections - added the ability to start an FTP session from the command line (or your another application) by specifying an ftp site address eg. ftpbrows ftp.cdrom.com - added an option to not display the local and remote dir fields in the FTP window - fixed a bug which confused FTP Browser when informational messages posted by some sites contained an extra new line character. A dash as the first character of the password is no longer needed for Hobbes. (Directory -> Synchronize) - fixed a bug in the passive data connection code - fixed a small GUI flaw in the status area - fixed the display of binary/ascii transfer mode - many GUI and network code optimizations - reduction in memory requirements and increased performance